Cleaning and Maintenance Equipment

Cleaning and Maintenance Equipment covers the tools a rig crew uses to clean and service plant: hot and cold pressure washers, high and ultra-high pressure water jetting units, steam cleaners, parts washers, and hydraulic torque wrenches and bolt tensioners with their pumps. On an offshore unit, a used tool is judged on its Ex rating, its pump condition and, for bolting tools, its calibration.

What the equipment does

Pressure washers and steam cleaners clean decks, mud tanks and equipment before inspection or maintenance. High and ultra-high pressure (UHP) water jetting units cut scale, coatings, cement and hardened mud from tanks, pipes and heat exchangers. Parts washers degrease components in the workshop. Hydraulic torque wrenches and bolt tensioners load bolted joints on BOPs, risers, wellheads and flanges to a set value. A torque wrench turns the nut against thread friction. A tensioner stretches the stud hydraulically and then runs the nut down, which gives a more even load across a joint.

Configurations

Cold and hot water pressure washers, electric or diesel, skid or trolley mounted
Water jetting units driven by diesel engines or electric motors, with plunger pumps
Air-driven pumps and tools for use in hazardous areas
Square drive and hexagon cassette torque wrenches, with electric or air pumps
Single and multi-stud bolt tensioners for flange and BOP connections

Key specifications

Parameter	Why it matters	Typical classes or units
Working pressure	Sets cleaning or cutting ability and hose rating	bar or psi
Flow	Sets cleaning rate and engine power	Litres or US gallons per minute
Drive and Ex rating	Decides where the unit can run	Electric with ATEX or IECEx, diesel with zone kit, air
Outlet temperature	For hot washers and steam cleaners	C or F
Torque range and drive size	Must cover your bolt sizes	Nm or ft-lb, drive in inches or hexagon size
Tensioner bolt range and pressure	Must match your studs	Bolt diameter, bar or psi

Standards and certification

EN 1829-1 covers the safety of high pressure water jet machines, and EN 1829-2 covers their hoses and fittings. In the UK, the Water Jetting Association publishes the codes of practice most contractors follow for training and equipment. ASME PCC-1 gives guidelines for assembling pressure boundary bolted flange joints, including tightening patterns and target loads. Torque tools and their pump gauges need calibration traceable to national standards. Electric units for the deck need ATEX or IECEx certification for the zone.

Failure modes and inspection

Plunger seals and valves wear in jetting pumps, which drop pressure and pulse under load. Run the pump at working pressure and watch the gauge.
Pump crankcase oil turns milky from water ingress. Check it before you start the engine.
Hoses fail at the fittings and from abrasion. Every hose, gun and nozzle must be rated above the pump's maximum pressure and carry a test record.
Dump valves, relief valves and emergency stops stick. Test each one at pressure.
Burner coils on hot washers scale up. Check the outlet temperature and flue.
Torque wrench ratchets and reaction arms wear and crack. Inspect them and check output on a calibration rig.
Tensioner seals leak. Pressure test each tool before use.

Documentation

Ex certificates and zone kit records for anything used outside the safe area
Pump running hours and service records
Hose test certificates and dates
Calibration certificates for torque wrenches, tensioners and pump gauges
Manuals with torque and pressure conversion charts for each tool

Integration and compatibility

Check that your unit can supply the power, water and fuel the equipment needs. Air-driven pumps need air compressors and dryers with enough flow. Bolting tools must suit the stud sizes on your BOP stacks and flanges, and their conversion charts must match your pump. Diesel jetting units need space for their exhaust away from air intakes.

Refurbishment and recertification

A used UHP unit with a rebuilt pump head and new hoses and guns is often sound, because the skid, engine and gearbox wear slowly. Torque and tensioning tools from rig tool pools need inspection and recalibration, then they can go back into service. Safe-area washers are cheap to buy new, so a used unit makes most sense when it already carries the Ex rating your deck needs.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can a diesel pressure washer be used on an offshore rig?

A diesel pressure washer can run in a safe area, but a hazardous area needs a diesel unit fitted with a zone kit. That kit includes an air intake shut-off valve, a spark arrestor and surface temperature control. Electric units need ATEX or IECEx certification for the zone instead.

What should I check on a used ultra-high pressure water jetting unit?

On a used UHP water jetting unit, check the pump's plunger seals and valves, pressure stability under load, crankcase oil, and the dump valve, relief valve and emergency stop. Every hose, gun and nozzle must be rated above the pump's maximum pressure, with a record of its last test.

Do used hydraulic torque wrenches need recalibration?

Yes, recalibrate a used hydraulic torque wrench or bolt tensioner before use unless it has an in-date certificate. Calibration must be traceable to national standards, and the pump gauge needs calibrating too, because it sets the applied torque or load. Check that the conversion chart matches the tool and pump.

What is the difference between a torque wrench and a bolt tensioner?

A hydraulic torque wrench turns the nut and loses much of its input to thread and nut-face friction. A bolt tensioner stretches the stud directly with a hydraulic load cell and then runs the nut down. Tensioners give a more even load across a flange, and several studs can be tensioned at once.

Looking for cleaning and maintenance equipment?

Tell us what you need and we will find out what is available. We reply within one business day.

Enquire